Foldable square



Feb. 8, 1927.

J. A. McwlLLlAMs FOLDABLE SQUARE Filed May 8, 1925 ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. s, i927.

'Ulti E intera? JAMES ALISON MCWILLIAMS, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Application filed May 8,

occupiesno greater space than one leg of' the square as it appears when unfolded.

A further object of my invention is to provide a foldable square 'of the character described in which the legs of the square are f rigidly locked against movement relative to one another when in extended position ready for use.

A further object of my invention is to provide a' foldable square of the character described in which means is provided for locking the device against unintentional eX- tension or unfolding when the legs are folded. A further object of my invention is to provide a foldable square of the character described which is simple in construction, durable and thoroughly practical for the purposes intended.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 1

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part'of this application, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of'an embodiment of my invention in an inoperative position,

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the device illustrated in Figure 1 in an operative position.

Figure 3 isan elevation of the device illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 partially folded, and

Figure 4 is a sectional view substantially along the line 4 4 of Figure 2.

In carrying out my invention I make useV of a body member 1 forming one leg of the square. The body member 1 has aportion 2 thereof which extends a part of the length ofthe body member and which is pivotally secured by means of a rivet 3 to the major part of the body member. This major por# tion of the body member 1 consists in a rear plate 4, ari-intermediate or spacing plate 5, and a front plate 6 which are secured to one another. A portion of the spacing plate 5 is cut away leaving a space shown at'7 in 1925. seriai no. 28,882.

which the second leg 8 of the square is ladapted for disposition when out of use. This leg 8V is pivotally mounted upon the rivet 3.

The spacing plate 5, as reference to Figure 3 will show, extends from the bottom ofthe body member to the top 10 of the bodymem- `ber and across the top. The leg- 8 is narrower than the leg formed by the body member 1 so that it may be entirely received between` the plates4`and 6 and 2 as shownfin Fign ure 3. Y

movement relative to the body member when the square is folded or when the leg V8 is' extended into an' operative position as shown in Figure 2, isprovided inv a locking bolt 1 which is slidably mounted upon the plate 6 and which is adapted to engage with a recess 12 provided in the lower end of vthe member 2. AWith reference 'to Figure 4, it will 4be noted that thelower edge of' the member 2 vis arcuate and is beveled slightly as shown at 13. The adjacent edge of the plate 6 is also aiciiate toconform with the lower edge of the member 2 and is beveled so thatlateral movement of the member isV impossible when the member 2 isin the position shown in Figures 1 'or 2. Thefcurvature of the lower edge of the member 2 is determined by a radius having itscenter at vthe axis of the rivet 3.

Means forf locking the member 2 against l,

With reference to Figure 2, it will be fnotedthat that portion of the leg. 8 which encompassesthe rivet 3 is substantially annular and is connected with the major portionof the leg-*8 by a reduced neck portion 16.

An inwardly extending pin 17V is carried by the member-2 and extends nearly to theV adjacent surface ofthe plate 4. This pin 17 is adapted to engage with'eitheredge of the neck portion 16 of the leg 8.v The adjacent edges of the spacing 'plate 5 are cut away so as to permit rotation of the Vmember 2 about the rivet 3 as an axis.

From the foregoing description of the.V

various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. Then it is desired to employ the square as a mere rule or straight edge, it is used in its folded position, see Figure 1, and the contiguous surfaces of the member 2 and plate 6 fornif ing parts of the `body member are provided with continuous scale markings 18.

At this time the locking bolt 11 is lin the position shown in Figure l so asoto prevent i Y When it is operation with the body member l or complementary leg, the bolt 11 is moved down- -j wardly out of engagement with the recess 12 of the member 2. The member2 is' then' rotated in ak counter-clockwise direction whereupon the pin 17 will engage'with the left edge ofthe Aneclr16 of the leg 8. At

this timeA the 'leg' 8 isn the position shown in Figure VThis will cause the leg A8 to move in' the direction indicated 'in dotted lines in' Figure 2.1 At this time the edgef 19 is exactly.V perpendicular to the edge 2O ofty the member 2.V

The/member 2 is continuously rotated in a counter-clockwise direction until 'thev leg 8 lassmnes the positionshown in Figure 2. At'this time therecess 12 will be in registration with the lockingbolt 511 and the bolt is pushed tuewardly so as to securely lockV -the member V2 against further movement.

The .leg 8`is prevented from further rotaton in a'=coun`tercloclzwise direction by abutment of 'any adjacent portion thereof 'fao with-fa stopping surface `22 provided at the upper V'rightha'nd edge of Ithe. spacing kplate 5.V The device is now jready for use as al The'device is unfold'edfandre'stored to the t positionshown'in Figure 1.by untastening the boltvll'` and rotating the member k,2 in a clockwise direction until they Vrecess V12 is again in' registrationV with the. bolt.

'I claim: Y n 1. A `toldable square of the characterdescribed comprising a pair of leg portions,

oney beinglarger thanxthe other,l said legi` contiguous with the outer surface andredgesA Y portions'beingpivotally connected `with one another` thelarger zof said legportions consisting-,of two membersvwithvan.intervening Y K plate.` to -ormj a yslot therebetween; the f desired toy use the legS in co#` smaller being entirely received Ywithin-the slot in the larger leg portion when the square is folded, a plate forming a part of the larger leg portion 'for moving the y smaller leg portion into la position at 90 with the-larger leg portion, said plate being pivotallyr mounted on the pivotal connection of said' legs said plate being provided with -a pinadapted to engage with a portionof the smaller leg member when'the `plate is rotated on the pivotal center of the legs,

and a stop Vmember orminga part of theV larger `leg member adapted to engage'with a portion of lthe' smaller legjmembe'r when the member is moved 900.

2. A vfoldable squarey of the character described fcomprisi'ng a pair of legf'portionfs;V

one being ylarger than the' other, said 'leg portions being ,pivotally connected with'on'e another, the largero said;legportionscon' vsisting ottwo memberswlth an lntervening plate to form a slot therebetween, ythe smaller being entirelyy received within the slot in the larger leg portion when the square is oldedfa plate forming a part of` vthe v larger .leg portion for moving the smaller leg portion into a position at 90' from .the larger leg portion, said'plate being pivotally mounted on the pivotal connection of said legs, said plate `being provided with a pin adapted 'to engage ,with a portionot' the smaller leg member when the-platefis rotated on the. pivotal center of fthe legs,;a

:stop member forming a part of the larger vleg member adapted to engage with'a portion v of the smaller leg member when the member is ymoved and a lockingboltfv slidably disposed onthe larger leg adapted .l tomove into' engagement` with the plate,k said plate havingits outer surface and edges.:

of the major portion of the larger leg.`

.JAMES ALisoN'MewiLLiAMsi 

